Category: Beauty

“Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay; your people shall be…

“Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16

When you think of Ruth from the Bible, I’m guessing that this verse comes to mind. Ruth’s story isn’t flashy or dramatic – but she is a Biblical superhero. She is brave, obedient, loyal, faithful, bold, courageous, loving, and kind. These are characteristics we should all strive to possess. These are life’s real superpowers.

Ruth was obedient when God guided her on a path she wasn’t expecting – a path that took her far from her family from home. She followed her mother in law, Naomi, even when the easier decision would have been to stay put. She decided to remain loyal to Naomi even though her husband, the link that connected the them, had passed away. God rewarded her obedience with a bigger blessing than she could have ever imagined – by introducing Boaz into her life. Through their love, they added to the family tree that eventually led to King David and even Jesus. Ruth scavenges for food in Boaz’s fields to feed Naomi, which is what introduced them and began their love story.

“I’ve been told about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband — how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” {Ruth 2:11-12}

Her story isn’t just a story of love – love for Naomi and eventually Boaz – it is a story about God. The book of Ruth demonstrates the kind of faithfulness and love that God wishes for us. It also shows us the difference between what happens when we as both individuals and as a group faithfully follow God.

Love selflessly and you will be shown the same in return. Be a Ruth. Be loyal in your relationships, go the extra mile, and don’t give up when things get tough. Someday you will see why it was worth the work.

We all want one thing in life: to be truly content. True happiness isn’t something that comes along easy, but it’s something we can have through God and God alone….

We all want one thing in life: to be truly content. True happiness isn’t something that comes along easy, but it’s something we can have through God and God alone.

We often find ourselves seeking things that only provide temporary satisfaction. They satisfy us for a day, a month, a year, etc., and then we go on seeking the next thing to give us that joy or contentment that we quickly felt.

These things we use to try to fill the void in our lives will always run out. As Jesus was a human on this earth, he knows the temporary joy the world offers. He also knows the long-lasting, fulfilling joy that our heavenly father gives freely to us.

God wants us to feel the joy he has in store for us. It’s something that doesn’t even compare to any joy we’ve felt before. He is the true giver of every perfect gift, and he wants to give us the gift of true, lasting contentment. Take a look at what God’s word says about discovering real happiness!

“For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:32-33

God may not give you a new car or hand you a million dollars, but he will give you the things no one else on this earth can. When we seek him and his righteousness, God provides us with so much more than worldly riches.

I was once told of a verse that talks about worldly contentment so perfectly. Jeremiah 2:13 says, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water”

Jesus is the spring of living water that is endless, ever-flowing, pure, and holy. If we take a look at this verse, it’s saying that we, as sinners, replace Jesus’s perfect water and replace it with our own. Our cisterns are broken, unable to hold water, only satisfying our needs for a short amount of time.

So, I challenge you to this: think of three different cisterns in your life. Maybe it’s partying, boys, grades, whatever it may be. These are the things you find yourself seeking happiness in that only end up giving you joy in the moment. Then, focus on how you can take the effort you spend on these things and spend it on growing closer to God. Watch how your heart changes!

At the end of the day, happiness will always come and go. But with God, our hearts, minds, and spirits are always filled with his love and his joy. We waste so much time on temporary fulfillment when she should be looking for everlasting fulfillment from our heavenly father. That is where true, eternal contentment can be found

Have you ever wanted something so badly that when it fails to happen you feel defeated and alone? Take situations in my life for example. In high school, I would…

Have you ever wanted something so badly that when it fails to happen you feel defeated and alone?

Take situations in my life for example. In high school, I would fall head over heels for a boy just to find out he has no interest in me. I would get excited about possible work opportunities to find out they’ve already contacted someone else for the job.

Life’s not always easy when an opened door that you wanted and hoped for ends up closing with little to no explanation. You thought life was working itself out only to find out that God doesn’t want you there at all.

There’s a concept that I heard a long time ago that never really made sense until now: If it doesn’t open, it’s not your door.

I would more often than not find myself getting so frustrated at God when things didn’t go my way. I would want something so badly only to watch it disappear right in front of me.

With that being said, how do you know which doors God opens for you?

Psalm 25:4-5,9 says, “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.”

First, comes prayer. Prayer is so much more powerful than you think! Although we may not see our prayers answered right before our eyes, God is always working on our behalf.

Pray for guidance and knowledge. Pray for God’s plan to be revealed to you amidst the confusion and uncertainty. God wants us to call out to him, not lean on our own control.

Luke 11:9 says, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

If you want something so badly you can’t stand it, ask for it. All God wants from us is to simply look to him. How can something we want be given to us if we don’t even ask for it to begin with? If we seek something with all our heart, God will deliver. And if he doesn’t, then he didn’t for a reason.

I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. And if God closes a door in your life, realize that. Don’t try to force something that isn’t there.

Lastly, I’ll leave you with a quote that I think so many of us need to hear:

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us.”

I love the way this is phrased! You may think one door leads to so much happiness but behind it is actually the opposite. Trust God and trust his plan. You’ll be happy you did!

I don’t know about you, but I constantly hear about the benefits of drinking lots of water. I was always skeptical if it had as many beauty benefits as all…

I don’t know about you, but I constantly hear about the benefits of drinking lots of water. I was always skeptical if it had as many beauty benefits as all the supermodels and celebrities say it has. After I did some research, I found out it really is all it’s cracked up to be! Here are some water beauty benefits that truly are beneficial and some that are simply myths!

You always hear people with perfect skin say, “I started drinking a ton of water and my skin cleared up so quickly.” Although water helps with the process of eliminating acne, it isn’t the only success factor. When most people say this, they usually do things like cut out soda, eat healthier, etc. So although drinking your daily amount of water helps, lifestyle changes are usually put into practice, as well.

That being said, it also has it’s skin benefits. If you have dry skin, drinking more water will give your skin the moisture it needs. Water is also known for flushing out toxics and bacteria in your body. So, it will also help get rid of that nasty bacteria in your pores, too! It not as much helps with the appearance of your skin, but with the health of it. It’ll help pump up your skin and revitalize your pores!

So, now you know! Everywhere you go, take a bottle of water with you. You’ll see the magic happen right before your eyes!

We have all heard the saying that “It’s not what’s on the outside, but what’s on the inside that counts.” And although we hear that a lot, we don’t always…

We have all heard the saying that “It’s not what’s on the outside, but what’s on the inside that counts.” And although we hear that a lot, we don’t always believe it. Especially in this day and age, where looks are everything. I want to tell you something: no beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart.

Having a good heart isn’t a quality that everyone possesses. To me, having a good heart means you care about and for others, you are gracious, you are kind, and you have pure intentions. When someone has a good heart, you can tell almost immediately when you meet them. Their personality shows it! People with kind hearts are refreshing to be around. They make you want to be around them and they make you want to be like them. Also, when your heart and personality is beautiful, it automatically makes you look more beautiful! Your smile will tell others the beauty of your heart. Try and show others the beauty that is in your heart. Show them the love that Jesus has shown you. It’s a game changer!

The way to a boy’s heart is through food. Okay, the way to MY heart is through food, who am I kidding. If you are looking for a totally adorable…

The way to a boy’s heart is through food. Okay, the way to MY heart is through food, who am I kidding. If you are looking for a totally adorable yet delicious homemade Valentine’s Day gift for the people you love, make them these sweet Oreo heart truffles!

Ingredients:

24 Oreos, finely crushed

5 oz. softened cream cheese

12-14 oz. white chocolate or vanilla almond bark

Heart shaped sprinkles (optional but highly recommended ;))

Line a cookie tray with baking paper. Crush the Oreos until they are fine crumbs and mix them in with the softened cream cheese. Do this with your hands or the back of a spoon. When it is all well combined transfer it to the baking paper and spread it in an even layer, about ½ inch thick. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 45 minutes or more and then use a heart shaped cookie cutter, then freeze them for about 25 minutes. Line another baking sheet with baking paper, then place the hearts from the freezer and dip them in the white chocolate using a fork. Tap off the extra chocolate, then lay them on the baking tray and sprinkle them with the sprinkles. Work in small batches so the hearts don’t thaw! Store these in the fridge until you give them away! That is, if you don’t eat them all yourself. 😉

Eyeliner is one of the most magical beauty products out there! It can transform the shape of your eyes and make them pop with any makeup look. With eyeliner, you…

Eyeliner is one of the most magical beauty products out there! It can transform the shape of your eyes and make them pop with any makeup look. With eyeliner, you can try a subtle straight line or a dramatic cat eye, whatever you prefer. Here are three must-try black eyeliners!

Yves Saint Laurent offers a barely-there liquid liner that guarantees the thinnest and most subtle of lines. It’s a great product for that cat eye look you’ve always wanted to perfect, but not go too overboard with. Although it’s a little pricier than your average drugstore eyeliners, you definitely get the quality you’re looking for!

A thick, dramatic liner can be used to switch up your look and try something a little different! Maybelline offers just that. Their Eye Studio Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner applies a thick line that is sure to deliver the drama you’re looking for. Why not try it out? It’s only around $8.99 at your local drugstore!

For the holidays, you may want to spruce up your look… especially for New Year’s Eve! Lorac’s Front of the Line Pro Eye Pencil in Charcoal applies dark silver lines and adds some sparkle to your look. You can wear it alone or with a combination of sheer metallic shadows.

Everyone wants fuller, thicker hair. Especially when you throw your hair up into a ponytail, you want it to appear as full and luscious as it can! There are lots…

Everyone wants fuller, thicker hair. Especially when you throw your hair up into a ponytail, you want it to appear as full and luscious as it can! There are lots of different ways you can achieve this, you just have to follow a few tips in order to do so. Here are 5 different tips to volumize your ponytail!

Before every ponytail, you’ll need to add some texture to your hair. This will make your hair look fuller before you even put it into a ponytail. Whether you do this with mousse or texture spray, it’s the first step to almost every hairstyle!

Prop up your ponytail with two bobby pins. Set two bobby pins in place under your ponytail like the picture below. This gives it the height it needs and will also help keep it in place for the night!

Add some dry shampoo. Dry shampoo does more than just its original purpose. If you add some to your hair before you put it up, it’ll feel cleaner and appear thicker!

Tease different sections of your hair. To keep the messy look, tease different parts of your pony so it’s not too over-the-top but still has some lift in it.

Did these tips work for you? Share with me below what works best for your hair!

Christmas is creeping up on us faster than we know it… and I’m so excited! Around Christmas time, my friends and I always do secret Santa gift exchanges. It can…

Christmas is creeping up on us faster than we know it… and I’m so excited! Around Christmas time, my friends and I always do secret Santa gift exchanges. It can be hard coming up with different things to get each year, so I wanted to tell you about the idea I’ll be using for my upcoming gift exchanges!

For me, I can never have too much makeup. Who doesn’t love trying out new brands and products? For your kit, you’ll need at least three different products, depending on how much you want to spend. You’ll at least need a lipstick, some type of skin product, and an eye product. Since most people already have a certain foundation they like to use, pick out a highlighter, blush, etc. As for eyes, purchase a mascara or eye shadow to add to their kit.

Now that you know what to put in your DIY makeup kit, here are a few of my favorites that are inexpensive yet good quality! For a lipstick, try Tarte’s Color Splash Hydrating Lipstick. There are 24 different shades to choose from! As for a highlighter, you can buy Urban Decay’s Mini Naked Illuminated Powder for only $12 from Sephora. Since the other two products are a little pricy, add your favorite drugstore mascara to complete the kit!

Are you going to try out this idea this year? Let me know what products you fill your kit with! 🙂

When I think of recycling, I immediately think of paper, plastic, and soda cans. But turns out you can recycle your very own makeup products after you’re done using them! …

When I think of recycling, I immediately think of paper, plastic, and soda cans. But turns out you can recycle your very own makeup products after you’re done using them! Pretty cool, right? Here are three different ways to recycle your products to make sure you’re getting the most out of them!

Depending on the brand of your makeup, you can recycle a certain number of empty containers for a brand-new product! Brands such as M.A.C. for example will take six of your empty M.A.C. product containers and give you a free lipstick in return. Look up a couple of your favorite brands and see if they offer any deals like this as well!

Be smart when you buy! If you care enough to put in a little research, see which brands make their product containers out of recyclable material. Whether the product is made with glass, plastic, or another material, we can be smart about which products we can recycle and which have to go in the trash.

Think of how many products fall to the bottom of your makeup bag that go completely unused. I know for me, it’s a lot! I encourage you to go through your bags monthly or every few months and find the products you have yet to open. Odds are, if you haven’t opened them yet, you probably don’t need them! I encourage you to donate them to a women’s shelter nearby or find someone who would appreciate it more than you would!

Now you can start doing more than just simply using your makeup products! Find a second purpose for them like the ones above! 🙂

If you follow me on YouTube, then you have probably seen my recent video about how I care for my hair. What I didn’t share with you is how I…

If you follow me on YouTube, then you have probably seen my recent video about how I care for my hair. What I didn’t share with you is how I deal with bad hair days! We have all had those days where we wake up and our hair looks like a bird has started nesting in it. Bad hair days are the worst. Hard as you try, your strands just won’t cooperate. Here is a handy list of ways that you can beat your next bad hair day, or even prevent it!

Is your hair dull or brassy? Give your hair natural shine by taking fish oil supplements! Along with a ton of other health benefits, fish oil works from the inside out, giving you naturally glossy strands.

Running late or have unmanageable hair? Braid it up. Braided hairstyles are your bff on days when you just don’t want to mess with your hair. They mask the craziness!

Steer clear of hair products that have silicones or sulfates in them. Those chemicals dry out your strands and disrupt its natural wave/curl pattern, which causes frizz. Also, maintaining a healthy diet can really benefit the health of your hair. Avoid eating too much salt, sugar, caffeine and carbonated beverages.

Topknots = lifesaver. These high buns keep your hair out of your face and disguise the mess it really is!

Are you battling static electricity and flyaways? Rub a dryer sheet over your hair!

When straightening your locks, pull the hair up towards the ceiling when running it through the straightener to add volume to the ‘do.

Sweater weather is finally here which means cold winds and extra dry skin. It’s hard to have that all-natural glow from summer when the temperatures are dropping… and dropping fast! …

Sweater weather is finally here which means cold winds and extra dry skin. It’s hard to have that all-natural glow from summer when the temperatures are dropping… and dropping fast! Here are a few different cold weather facial fixes that’ll transform your skin just in time for the holidays! 🙂

Microdermabrasion serums and treatments can make the transition smooth for brightening up your complexion! While microdermabrasion treatments are very expensive, you can try an at home device like Neutrogena’s Microdermabrasion System. It helps to boost surface cell turnover to purify and exfoliate your skin. Neutrogena’s treatment is only $22.99 and it works wonders! Try it out for yourself!

Another amazing facial treatment is Clinique’s Smart Treatment Oil. It has a moisturizing anti-oxidant blend that will help your skin to repair itself after it takes a cold weather beating! It’ll keep your natural oils locked in place. Its ingredients help you to hydrate, heal, and brighten your skin for a skin makeover.

Lastly, lip balms can give your lips some TLC from cracking and flaking. Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment is one of my favorites. It’s a chap stick that comes in all different colors from coral to wine. It’s made from vitamins C and E, beeswax, grape seed oil, jojoba, and real sugar! It also has an SPF 15 for added protection!

“That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 is a…

“That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 is a tough verse to swallow.

Weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties do not sound like things that I take pleasure in. In fact, those are things that most of us do our very best to avoid. But, these are things that keep us humble. They are also things that help us appreciate the good times that God has provided us and the joy that is ahead in our futures. Some of the most joy-filled people I know have gone through incredibly tough times. They got through them by relying on God’s wisdom and trusting in His plan, and they came out of the hardship stronger than they were before. Getting through hard times is all about our mindset. If you look at those times as opportunities to become stronger both in your faith and in other areas of your life, then those weaknesses become your strength.

Greasy hair is a struggle for us all. They say you’re not supposed to wash your hair every day, but when you don’t, your hair becomes a greasy mess! Especially…

Greasy hair is a struggle for us all. They say you’re not supposed to wash your hair every day, but when you don’t, your hair becomes a greasy mess! Especially if you have thick hair like me, you know the struggle. If you have this problem too, here are 5 tips that will help you out!

Dry Shampoo. If you’ve never used dry shampoo, then get ready to be amazed! It does wonders for your hair. Spray a little bit of this on your hair at any time of the day and it’ll give it the lift it needs.

Baby Powder. If you don’t have any dry shampoo lying around, baby powder almost works just as well! I found this trick hard to believe, but it really does work! Sprinkle a small amount of powder around your scalp to disappear any grease your hair has. It’s a cheap and quick method to substitute for dry shampoo!

Hats and Headbands. As you can already guess, hats and headbands are the perfect cover-up for greasy hair. They’re the key solution to any messy hair day, trust me!

Braid it. Braiding the top of your hair makes for a cute hairstyle while still doing a good job of covering up dirty hair! You can still look good on your way to class without worrying about it!

Have any other tips you can give me? Share your tricks with me in the comments below!

Being a girl can be a struggle. If you’re like me, you were born with thick, dark eyebrows that you have to keep up with! I always find myself plucking,…

Being a girl can be a struggle. If you’re like me, you were born with thick, dark eyebrows that you have to keep up with! I always find myself plucking, trimming, and waxing my brows more often than I should. But I just recently learned about some waxing do’s and don’ts that should assure me the best wax possible! 🙂

DO get them done by someone you trust. Your eyebrows are seen by everyone, so you want them to look the best they can! I like to go to nail or hair salons that have been recommended to me by a friend. This way I can trust that the same person will hopefully do just as good of a job on my own brows!

DO know your eyebrow shape. Especially if you wax them yourself, you need to know which shape is best for your brows. You’ll want to know what frames your face the best! Everyone is different so know what you’re going for! 🙂

DON’T wax them too frequently. Although waxing every once in a while won’t hurt your skin, too much of anything can be harmful! Waxing should keep the hair around your eyebrows away for a good amount of time. That being said, simply wax them when you’re starting to see hair grow back, not every few days!

DON’T wax your eyebrows too close to a big event. Regardless of how many times you’ve done it before, you never know how your skin will react. Give your skin a few days to heal before your event!

Have any other tips for me to add to my list? I can use all the help I can get!

Bangs: either you love them or you hate them. At some point in our lives we will even be tempted to try them! But, beware. They may look good in…

Bangs: either you love them or you hate them. At some point in our lives we will even be tempted to try them! But, beware. They may look good in photos you see on Pinterest, but that doesn’t mean that you will like them on your own face. Before you take the plunge and chop some bangs, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Bangs require lots of maintenance. You have to keep them constantly trimmed, like every two or three weeks, to keep them out of your eyes. Getting them trimmed that often adds up to quite a bit of money in the end!

Working out is a little more complicated. You have to remember to keep clips and headbands with you at all times to keep your bangs out of the way.

Try them out before you take the dive. You can watch tutorials on how to create faux bangs to see if you like them before you make the big chop. This may save you a lot of heartache in the long run if you don’t like what you see.

Prepare for a lot of trial and error. You will have to play with your bangs a lot before you get the hang of them.

Bangs can cause pimples. Having hair sitting on your forehead all day causes the oil from your hair to join with the oil on your forehead. That can cause breakouts! The good news is that your bangs will cover the pimples.

There will be a time when you want to grow them out. That, my friends is a long, and sometimes obnoxious, process. Luckily there are a lot of ways to pull your bangs back, such as braiding them or twisting them. That should get you by until they are long enough to swoop to the side or bobby pin back.

There are a lot of things to consider before cutting bangs, but ultimately if you want to take the plunge then I say go for it! It is fun to change up your hair style every once in a while.